July 16, 2013

Born on this date
Happy Birthday, Campbell Milton, Carmen Reyes Zubiaga and Anna!

150 years ago
1863

Born on this date
Anderson Dawson. Australian politician. Mr. Dawson was a miner before entering state politics in Queensland as a member of the Labour Party. He represented Charters Towers in the Queensland Legislative Assembly (1893-1901), and became party leader in May 1899. Mr. Dawson became Premier of Queensland on December 1, 1899 upon the resignation of James Dickson, but his new government was defeated just six days later, when the Legislative Assembly next met. Mr. Dawson resigned as Leader of the Opposition in Queensland on July 16, 1900--his 37th birthday--and entered federal politics when the federation of Australia took effect in 1901. He represented Queensland in the Australian Senate (1901-1906), and served as Minister of Defence from April-August 1904. Mr. Dawson suffered from health problems stemming from his days as a miner, and drank himself to death on July 20, 1910, four days after his 47th birthday.

125 years ago
1888

Born on this date
Percy Kilbride. U.S. actor. Mr. Kilbride played Pa Kettle in a series of eight Ma and Pa Kettle films from 1947-1955. He died on December 11, 1964 at the age of 76, three months after being hit by a car while walking.

Frits Zernike. Dutch physicist. Professor Zernike was awarded the 1953 Nobel Prize in Physics "for his demonstration of the phase contrast method, especially for his invention of the phase contrast microscope." He died on March 10, 1966 at the age of 77.

75 years ago
1938

Golf
Paul Runyan defeated Sam Snead 8 & 7 to win the PGA Championship at Shawnee Country Club in Smithfield Township, Pennsylvania. First prize money was $1,100.

70 years ago
1943

On the radio
The New Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, starring Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce, on MBS
Tonight's episode: The Musgrave Ritual

Died on this date
Dmitri Ulyanov, 68. U.S.S.R. politician. Dr. Ulyanov, the younger brother of Vladimir Ulyanov--better known as Vladimir Lenin--was a physician who used his medical training on behalf of Communism.

War
U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt and U.K. Prime Minister Winston Churchill delivered an ultimatum to the Italian people, calling on them to decide "whether Italians shall die for Mussolini and Hitler or live for Italy and civilization." Canadian forces in Italy captured Caltagirone, while U.S. forces took Agrigento and U.K. forces occupied Scordia on Sicily. Soviet forces advanced 6-10 miles north and east of Orel, killing 2,000 German soldiers, and destroying 168 tanks and 106 airplanes. U.S. bombers hit Vila and also attacked Bairoki in the Solomon Islands, while ground forces continued their advance toward Munda.

Politics and government
The Costa Rican Congress elected Teodore Picado as the first designate for the national presidency, to succeed the late Calderon Guardia y Munoz.

Chicago Tribune publisher Robert McCormick refused Wendell Willkie's challenge that both enter the Illinois U.S. presidential primary.

Law
A U.S. federal court jury in Washington, D.C. convicted journalist George Sylvester Viereck for a second time of failing to register as a German agent. The Supreme Court had reversed his first conviction.

Economics and finance
The Governors of Massachusetts, Maine, Vermont, Rhode Island, and Connecticut closed a two-day conference in New London, Connecticut with demands for immediate federal action to end shortages of grain, gasoline, meat, and coal.

60 years ago
1953

Died on this date
Hilaire Belloc, 82. French-born U.K. writer. Mr. Belloc wrote books and poems on a number of topics; his writing was heavily influenced by his Roman Catholic beliefs. He died 11 days before his 83rd birthday.

50 years ago
1963

Music
The Beach Boys recorded 10 of the 12 songs that appeared on their Surfer Girl album. Surfer Girl and Little Deuce Coupe had been recorded on June 12.

40 years ago
1973

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): Daisy a Day--Jud Strunk (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in France: J'ai un problème--Johnny Hallyday & Sylvie Vartan (3rd week at #1)

Scandal
Alexander Butterfield, former deputy assistant to U.S. President Richard Nixon, revealed to the United States Senate Committee on Campaign Activities--investigating the June 1972 break-in at the headquarters of the Democratic National Committee at the Watergate office complex in Washington, D.C.--that all White House conversations had been taped. Herbert Kalmbach, former personal attorney and fund raiser for President Nixon, testified that through a series of clandestine meetings and telephone calls he had raised $220,000 for the seven defendants in the Watergate trial, believing the money was intended for legal fees and support of the defendants' families. He said his instructions had come chiefly from White House counsel John Dean, with assurances from presidential aide John Ehrlichman that the work was entirely proper.

War
The United States Senate Armed Services Committee began a probe into allegations that the U.S. Air Force had made secret B-52 bombing raids into Cambodia in 1969 and 1970. No public announcements of raids in Cambodia were made until May 1970. Former Air Force Major Hal Knight testified before the committee that he had been told to falsify records of the raids for political reasons; one superior officer had said that accurate reports might arouse criticism from U.S. Senator William Fulbright. Defense Secretary James Schlesinger verified the secret raids, describing them as "fully authorized" and necessary for the protection of American servicemen.

30 years ago
1983

Hit parade
#1 single in France: L'Italiano--Toto Cutugno (6th week at #1)

#1 single in the Netherlands (De Nederlandse Top 40): Stars on 45 Proudly Presents The Star Sisters (4th week at #1)

#1 single in Ireland (IRMA): Moonlight Shadow--Mike Oldfield

#1 single in the U.K.: Baby Jane--Rod Stewart (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): Every Breath You Take--The Police (2nd week at #1)

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Every Breath You Take--The Police
2 Electric Avenue--Eddy Grant
3 Flashdance...What a Feeling--Irene Cara
4 Never Gonna Let You Go--Sergio Mendes
5 Too Shy--Kajagoogoo
6 Let's Dance--David Bowie
7 Time (Clock of the Heart)--Culture Club
8 Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'--Michael Jackson
9 Our House--Madness
10 All This Love--DeBarge

Singles entering the chart were Promises, Promises by Naked Eyes (#71); Total Eclipse of the Heart by Bonnie Tyler (#87); Legal Tender by the B-52's (#88); and West Coast Summer Nights by Tony Carey (#89).

Canada's Top 10 (RPM)
1 I'm Still Standing--Elton John
2 Every Breath You Take--The Police
3 Flashdance...What a Feeling--Irene Cara
4 Electric Avenue--Eddy Grant
5 White Wedding--Billy Idol
6 Puttin' on the Ritz--Taco
7 Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'--Michael Jackson
8 Too Shy--Kajagoogoo
9 Come Dancing--The Kinks
10 Let's Dance--David Bowie

Singles entering the chart were Video Kids by Prototype (#47); Lawyers in Love by Jackson Browne (#49); and Rock of Ages by Def Leppard (#50).

Died on this date
Sergei Chalibashvili, 21. U.S.S.R. diver. Mr. Chalibashvili, a Georgian, was attempting a difficult dive in competition at the World University Games in Edmonton on July 9 when his head hit the board on the way down, and he was fatally injured, never regaining consciousness. He suffered multiple skull fractures and ultimately died of heart failure.

Disasters
A Sikorsky S-61 helicopter crashed off the Isles of Scilly, killing 20 people.

Football
CFL
Ottawa (1-1) 28 @ Montreal (1-1) 36
Hamilton (1-1) 50 @ Saskatchewan (1-1) 19

Rookie running back Johnny Shepherd was one of the stars for the Tiger-Cats in their rout of the Roughriders at Taylor Field in Regina.

25 years ago
1988

Hit parade
#1 single in Italy (FIMI): Tell Me--Nick Kamen (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in Flanders (Ultratop 50): Dirty Diana--Michael Jackson (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in the Netherlands (De Nederlandse Top 40): Fast Car--Tracy Chapman (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in France (SNEP): Nuit de folie--Début de Soirée

#1 single in Ireland (IRMA): Nothing's Gonna Change My Love for You--Glenn Medeiros

#1 single in the U.K. (BMRB): Nothing's Gonna Change My Love for You--Glenn Medeiros (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): The Flame--Cheap Trick (2nd week at #1)

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 The Flame--Cheap Trick (2nd week at #1)
2 Pour Some Sugar on Me--Def Leppard
3 New Sensation--INXS
4 Mercedes Boy--Pebbles
5 Dirty Diana--Michael Jackson
6 Roll With It--Steve Winwood
7 Hold on to the Nights--Richard Marx
8 Nite and Day--Al B. Sure!
9 Foolish Beat--Debbie Gibson
10 Hands to Heaven--Breathe

Singles entering the chart were Perfect World by Huey Lewis and the News (#54); It Would Take a Strong Strong Man by Rick Astley (#82); Heart Turns to Stone by Foreigner (#84); Coming to America (Part 1) by the System (#86); and Spring Love (Come Back to Me) by Stevie B (#88).

Canada's Top 10 (RPM)
1 Together Forever--Rick Astley (4th week at #1)
2 Foolish Beat--Debbie Gibson
3 New Sensation--INXS
4 The Flame--Cheap Trick
5 The Valley Road--Bruce Hornsby and the Range
6 Dirty Diana--Michael Jackson
7 One More Try--George Michael
8 Roll With It--Steve Winwood
9 Beds are Burning--Midnight Oil
10 Make it Real--The Jets

Singles entering the chart were Rag Doll by Aerosmith (#72); All Fired Up by Pat Benatar (#74); When You Walk in the Room by Paul Carrack (#77); People Have the Power by Patti Smith (#83); Perfect World by Huey Lewis and the News (#86); Easy by Timbuk 3 (#93); I Should Be So Lucky by Kylie Minogue (#95); and Love is a Bridge by Little River Band (#97).

Married on this date
Happy Anniversary, Wayne Gretzky and Janet Jones!
Hockey's biggest star married the relatively unknown actress at St. Joseph's Basilica in Edmonton.

Track and field
Florence Griffith Joyner set a world record of 10.49 seconds for women in the 100-metre dash at the United States Olympic trials in Indianapolis.

Football
CFL
Toronto (0-1) 24 @ Hamilton (1-0) 29

20 years ago
1993

Disasters
20 people were killed when a tour bus carrying senior citizens crashed into a pickup truck towing fuel drums at Lac St-Jean, Quebec.

Football
CFL
Hamilton (2-0) 21 @ Ottawa (1-1) 20

Paul Osbaldiston's 27-yard field goal on the last play of regulation time won the game for the Tiger-Cats over the Rough Riders before 20,016 fans at Frank Clair Stadium. He had missed a 39-yard field goal and scored a single point with 53 seconds left, but the Hamilton defense was able to stop the Ottawa offense and get the ball back. Hamilton quarterback Don McPherson threw touchdown passes to Joey Jauch and Earl Winfield, while Ottawa quarterback Tom Burgess threw TD passes to James Ellingson and Wayne Walker.

10 years ago
2003

Died on thi date
Celia Cruz, 77. Cuban-born U.S. singer. Miss Cruz was known as the "Queen of Salsa" and earned 23 Gold albums.

Carol Shields, 68. U.S.-born Canadian author. Mrs. Shields was best known for her novel The Stone Diaries (1993), which won the Governor General's Award in 1993 and the Pultizer Prize for Fiction in 1995--the only book to win both awards.

World events
A military coup led by Major Fernando Pereira toppled the government of Sao Tome and Principe and took over the capital, Sao Tome.

Disasters
10 people were killed and dozens injured when an 87-year-old man crashed his car through an outdoor market in Santa Monica, California.

Football
CFL
Hamilton (0-5) 15 @ Edmonton (3-2) 52

The Eskimos built a 31-8 halftime lead in one of the slowest and sloppiest halves of football this blogger has ever seen, and coasted to an easy win over the Tiger-Cats at Commonwealth Stadium.